Mass shootings across South Africa leave 27 dead in weekend violence

Two separate mass shootings near South Africa's two biggest cities killed at least 27 people, police said on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Wedela Attack

Police said 17 people died on Saturday night when eight suspects armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, which is southwest of Johannesburg. At least 15 other people suffered gunshot injuries in that attack.

Cape Town Incident

In a separate statement, police reported that 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a store in Lwandle, near Cape Town, around 1 a.m. on Sunday. Another 11 people were wounded in that incident, and authorities are searching for multiple suspects without having an exact count yet.

Recent Context

These two tragedies follow an earlier mass shooting just days prior where three gunmen killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman, at a house party near Durban on the east coast. No arrests have been made in either of the two latest shootings. While South Africa has battled high rates of violent crime for years, this wave of mass attacks has shocked the country.